YuGiOh: Version Philosopher's Stone
by SchizoCheese
Summary: DISCONTINUED; FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY. Another of them Harry PotterYGO crossovers. AU, OOC charries, yaoi-free, pairing-free. I am better known for my Rayearth fics. Never watched YGO in my life...
1. 1: The Letters

**Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh or Harry Potter; they're owned by the people who own Yu-Gi-Oh and J.K. Rowling.**

**Postscript: _Now, I know there's tons of these crossovers, but what the heck, I'm joining. Only difference: _I have never seen Yu-Gi-Oh!_ Ack! So pardon moi if the charries are OOC, but you can't blame me. I also have permission from Skyla Doragono to use some of the stuff in her fanfic._**

**_~Chapter 1: The Letters~_**

****

_Beep! Beep! Beep!_

"Damned alarm clock," muttered Yugi, lazily stretching out a hand and slamming it off. "Yami, remind me to smash that thing." "Hah," Yami Yugi was sitting on the floor, watching his hikari fight the battle of waking up in the morning. "By the way, you got a funny letter." Yugi sat upright and almost fell off the bed. "Lemme see!" Yami Yugi handed him a thick envelope made of yellowish parchment paper. "If this is one of Malik's jokes remind me to strangle him." Yugi turned the envelope over. "It was delivered by an owl that flew smack into the window," Yami said nonchalantly. Yugi sweatdropped. "An…_owl_?" Yugi stared at the address. "You've _got_ to be kidding me."

Mr. Y. Mutou

The Bedroom next to the Stairs

Kame Game Shop

Domino City

Japan

"That's…freaky." Even Yami was unnerved by the exactness of the address. "I knew Malik was a prankster but having this letter delivered by owl and the address…talk about lousy postage system." "Open it already," Yami was on the verge of hitting the ceiling. Sweatdropping Yugi opened the letter, fumbling with "the stupid goddamn wax seal".

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,

Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Mutou,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

Deputy Headmistress

PS: We are aware that you are older than the standard age for first years, but you will have to start out at year one anyway. We apologize in advance.

"Uhh…" Yami sweatdropped. "If this nitwit means me being five thousand years plus…" "More like _me," Yugi poked his other self. "Most English people go to school at eleven, I'm like…wha? Fourteen?" "Wait, there's more." Yami poked the letter. "Oh yeah, Yugi – you're _going_ to be fourteen, you're still thirteen now, aibou."_

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

*The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)

by Miranda Goshawk

*A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

*Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

*A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

*One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi

by Phyllida Spore

*Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

*Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

by Newt Scamander

*The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection

by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS

"Yami…I doubt Malik could do all this." Yugi gave him the "deer-in-the-headlights" look. "Wouldn't hurt to ask. He's in the bedroom next door." Yami opened the door.

Malik Ishtar was living with Yugi and his grandpa ever since his sister and Rishid were banished by his evil (_waaaaaay evil) half, Marik. Yami put a finger to his lips and opened the door. Yugi let out a suppressed groan. If Yami caught Malik asleep he'd definitely devise an unpleasant wake-up call. _

Fortunately for Yami (not Malik, though) the sandy-blonde Egyptian was still fast asleep. Yami snuck in, and ignoring Yugi's warning glares, he jumped onto Malik's bed. His response: A string of very loud Egyptian curses and a violent shove, causing him to land on his posterior smack on the floor. He turned his head and found himself staring at a pair of angry lavender eyes. "_Yami! What the hell was _that_ for?!" he hollered in Egyptian. Yugi may not have understood it but he was positive Malik was _not_ pleased. "You nearly killed me!" "What part did he land on?" Yugi asked dully. "My stomach!" snapped Malik, this time in Japanese. Yugi's eyes got wider. "That's dangerous!" "Sorry, Mali – _oof_!" In retaliation Malik had thrown one of his pillows in Yami's face._

_Crack._

Everybody jumped. Yugi pointed to the window. "What the heck is _that_?" Malik and Yami looked up. An owl. "What in Ra's name…?" Malik clambered out of bed and opened the window. The owl was disgruntled; it had just flown full-force into a closed window. Malik detached the letter from its and sat down on the floor with Yami and Yugi. "I got that too this morning!" Yugi exclaimed. Malik stared at the address, appalled. 

Mr. M. Ishtar

The Guest Bedroom

Kame Game Shop

Domino City

Japan

"Um, I've heard of writing the exact address of the person you've sending too, but this is a _little too accurate," Malik turned it over, gingerly peeling off the wax seal. "Hey, I got one of those too!" Yugi squeaked, climbing on top of Malik's bed. "Har," the Egyptian snorted. "And I thought your yami was playing tricks again." Yugi giggled. "Yeah," he teased. "He's becoming as bad as Marik." As soon as the name left his mouth Yugi knew he'd slipped. Malik's expression stiffened. "Don't – say – his – name!" Malik hissed. Malik's yami, Marik, had dragged Rishid and his sister Isis into the Shadow Realm with him when Yami defeated him. It was traumatizing for Malik._

"How the heck are we going to get all this stuff?" Malik looked at the list. "I dunno," Yugi and Yami pondered over the list. "Pewter cauldrons…wands…" "Ehh, I'll leave you two to mull it over. I'm going to go take a shower before your Grandpa eats up all the hot water."

"I – hate – cold – showers." Yugi stomped down the stairs. Malik looked up. "Er…don't look at me, by the time I got to it the water was already freezing cold." His sandy-hair was still damp. Yugi was shivering. "How do you manage to bathe and not scream your head off?" he asked, sitting down. "You try dunking in the Nile in the dead of winter and see whether it's cold or not," the blonde snapped. "Take my word for it," Yami said, about to sit on a chair. "It's colder than your shower. _Oof_!" Yami fell through the chair onto the floor. Malik stood and peered over the table. Yugi cocked an eyebrow. 

_Smack._

Yami fell through the chair again and Yugi almost upset his milk. "What _now_?" Malik muttered and almost choked on his toast. "_Another Ra-damned owl!" he snarled, pushing up the window and taking the parchment from its beak. "Uhh, Yugi, it's for you." Yugi set his milk down carefully as Malik handed him the parchment after he had shooed the owl away. _"Dear Mr Y. Mutou, please ensure you bring both sides of you to the school and your Sennen items as well."_ Malik choked again. "Who's it from?" he asked. "Albus Dumbledore," Yugi replied. Malik let out an indignant snort and read his letter again. " _'We___ await your owl by no later than July 31.' What kind of crackpot joke is this?" he asked. "And where in Japan are we going to get an owl?" Yugi looked at his translucent other half. Yami shrugged. "Poach one from the zoo?" "Stop your corny jokes," Malik hissed in Egyptian so that only Yami understood. Yugi frowned. He _had_ to learn the language one of these days. Yugi turned when he heard incessant and rather loud hammering at the front door. "I'll get it, Grandpa!" he squeaked, shooting off his chair. Yami and Malik frowned at his behaviour._

_"About time!__ Now where's that stupid Gravekeeper?"_

"H-hi, Bakura," Yugi stammered, gazing up at the furious Tomb Robber. Ryou stood well back just in case his yami's temper blew over. _"Malik Ishtar!" Bakura yelled. "Yes?" Malik kept his tone passive. "Did you send this stupid thing?" Bakura threw the same letter that Yugi and him had got this morning. Ryou stomped on Bakura's foot. "_I_ got the letter," the albino said, as Malik fondly called him, "let me talk." Bakura was too busy hopping on his good foot cursing vividly to argue. "What?" Malik asked, not bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice. Ryou was just about to ask when something hit him in the back of the head. "Ryou! Get Bakura here!!" yelled a stern, commanding voice. Yugi, Yami, Ryou and Malik winced. Seto Kaiba. Malik mentally stuck his tongue out at Seto. Bakura snarled. "What, Priest?" "Did you send me this crock?" Seto waggled a finger at the letter that had hit Ryou. "No!" Ryou answered for his yami. "We got one too – and then Bakura suggested we go ask Malik." Seto rounded on Malik. "Well?" he questioned. "Give me a break," the blonde said calmly. "I have one too." _

**_(Author's Notes: Oops, I must mention: [ ] = yami to hikari, { } = hikari to yami.)_**

****

Seto made a funny noise in his throat. Malik, sensing an eruption, nudged Yugi to "do something quick". Yugi intervened just before Seto exploded. "Erm, shouldn't we reply them anyway?" Everyone stared at Yugi. Bakura found his tongue first. "Suuuure…_how the hell are we going to get a ruddy owl_?" Yugi sweatdropped. "Ask Seto, he's the one with all the money," Malik pointed out. Everyone cast their gazes on Seto. "Blah…alright."

**_Author's Ending Notes: Hey, how was the fic? Enjoy, and if you wish to flame, please, do it properly, not full of cussing and telling me "all the characters behaviour is wrong you should go die" crap, k? If you neglected to read the postscript above, I have already said that I _****have not watched a single episode of Yu-Gi-Oh,_ therefore I do not know how the characters really act. Domo arigatou. _**


	2. 2: Diagon Alley

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh and Harry Potter ain't mine. Go sue someone else.**

**_~Chapter 2: Diagon Alley~_**

****

Several weeks later, Malik, Yugi, Seto and Ryou found themselves in a busy London street. (Not forgetting their yamis, of course.) "Where to now?" Ryou asked. Yugi made a cross-eyed look at a scrap of parchment an owl had delivered. "There's this pub, the Leaky Cauldron, and this Dumbledore dude wants us to go there. He says it's invisible to Muggles, or whatever they're called." Malik tapped Yugi's shoulder, and pointed to a small, grubby nondescript building poking out from between a shoe shop and a pet store. "Look – the Leaky Cauldron." Everyone made their way towards the pub, trailing their luggage behind them. Malik and Seto, however, had to help Yugi drag his in.

"What do we do now once we're inside the pub?" whispered Malik, trying to avoid the gaze of a young witch staring at him with interest. [Aibou, you're sure this is a good idea, responding to the letter?] Yami asked Yugi through their mind link. {Yami, shut up, I'll answer that later.} Yugi replied snappily. "Go talk to the bartender," Yugi whispered back. Once again, everyone cast gazes to Seto. "Why _me_?" he hissed, going up to the bartender, Tom, anyway, leaving Ryou and Malik to help Yugi with his luggage. "He-" Seto hadn't even gotten the words out when the wizened bartender nodded. "Aah…the foreign students?" "How'd you…?" Ryou sputtered. "Dumbledore told me to keep an eye out for a young boy with tri-coloured hair," Tom chuckled. Yugi turned neon pink. [You should get your hair permed and dyed,] Yami chuckled. {Back at you, you have the same hair as me,} Yugi retorted as Tom helped them haul their luggage up the stairs to their rooms. 

However, when the four boys reappeared, all of them had a disturbed look on their faces. "My mirror talked to me," Malik said, perturbed. "Called me 'handsome blondie'. Ack!" "The portrait in _my_ room has issues," muttered Ryou. "Cute albino my foot." "My bed said I was the lightest thing that ever sat on it," Seto said. "Makes you wonder what else comes here." "The sink in my room attacked me," said Yugi darkly, his face and shirt dripping. Malik, Seto, and Ryou tried their best to contain their sniggers. "Now," said Tom, "I'm going to show you how to get to Diagon Alley." He took them behind the shop. "Three up and two across starting from the trash can," he said, pointing at the brick wall. Whipping out a wand, he tapped the indicated brick. Everyone watched in stunned silence as the bricks parted to reveal an archway big enough for a shire horse. "Welcome, boys – to Diagon Alley."

"This place is _cool!" said Malik. "What's on the agenda?" asked Ryou. [You're not serious, are you?] Bakura snarled. {Shut up.} His hikari replied. Yugi took the list of items from his pockets. "Hang on," Ryou interrupted. "We need to exchange our yen for them…wizard money. That's what the letter from that Dumble-whats-his-name said." "Where's the bank, then?" asked Yugi. "In your face," sneered Seto, pointing to a towering white marble building._

The marble building was called Gringotts. There was an engraving on the door. 

Enter, stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed,

For those who take, but do not earn,

Must pay most dearly in their turn.

So if you seek beneath our floors

A treasure that was never yours,

Thief, you have been warned, beware

Of finding more than treasure there.

{Bakura, don't go getting any ideas!} Ryou chuckled. [Oh, shit.]

The four boys strolled down the long marble walkway, beside them, goblins at their flanks. "Keep your eyeballs in, Seto," smirked Malik. He got a kick in the back of his shins for that remark. The goblins were measuring gold, rubies, diamonds…Malik swore he saw a diamond as big as his fist. 

They got to the end of the corridor, where, at a counter, sat a very nasty-looking goblin sorting out accounts. Yugi went first, but he was so short, even though he jumped and stood on his tiptoes, the tip of his raspberry hair barely cleared the counter. Sighing, Ryou and Malik grasped his arms and lifted him up, so he could exchange his yen for wizard money. After they had sorted out their finances, they had to figure out how to use it. Yugi read from the letter. "Uh…let's see…says here the gold ones are Galleons, the silver ones…they're Sickles, and the bronze…Knuts. Seventeen Sickles to a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle." "Sounds easy enough," responded Malik. "I never was one for Maths." "Now what do we do?" Seto asked. "We got get our stuff, baka," Ryou said. [Good one, hikari,] Bakura sniggered.

About an hour and a half later, everyone congregated in front of Ollivanders' Wands. Malik was just about to enter when he bumped face-first into somebody's back. A giant somebody, who was with a scraggy, dark-haired boy. "Itai!" he squeaked, and looked up. "Oh my…" The giant turned. "Er…sorry," Malik said tentatively. The black-haired boy was staring at Yugi's hair. "How'd you get it to stay like that?" he asked. Yugi flushed bright pink. "It's…natural." "If that's natural wait till you see artificial," Malik sniggered. "Hey, 'Arry, we gotta go get yer wand," the giant grunted, peering down at Malik. Harry turned to Malik. "Don't tell me your hair colour's natural, too," he said. "Fine, I won't," the Egyptian grinned cheekily. "I'm Harry," the boy said. "This is Hagrid." "Pleased ter meet'cha." The giant said, grinning. "I'm Yugi," Yugi answered. "That's Seto, this here's Ryou, and that's Malik." "Where do you guys come from?" Harry questioned. "We-ee-ll," said Yugi, "Ryou's from England, Seto and I are Japanese, and Malik's Egyptian." "I'm going to go get my wand now," said Harry quietly. "Uhh…us too," Yugi said. "Hang on," Harry's green eyes narrowed. Malik tensed. "Aren't you Seto Kaiba?" The Egyptian sighed mentally. "Yes," answered the CEO. "How'd you know? You're from London, aren't you?" Yugi questioned innocently. "He's in a magazine article I read once," said Harry. "Doesn't he own KaibaCorp?" "Yes," said Ryou, answering for Seto. 

Harry pushed opened the door to the small, musty shop. Malik watched bits of dust dance in the sunlight. "Hello," came a soft voice. Everyone jumped, except Hagrid. (Him jumping would've resulted in a Diagon Alley earthquake of magnitude ten.) A bent little old man with a shock of white hair emerged from apparently out of nowhere. "Aah, Harry Potter," he said, "Yes, yes, I thought I'd be seeing you soon. You have your mother's eyes." The foreign boys, however, were positively flummoxed with the man's words. "It seemed like only yesterday she was in here, buying her first wand. Ten an a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work." Then his moon-like eyes snapped towards the four boys behind Harry. "Ah, you must be the four foreigners Dumbledore has told me about," he said. Yugi turned pink. Him and his conspicuous hair! "We'll do Mr Potter first," said the man. He turned to Hagrid. "Rubeus Hagrid! Nice to see you again – oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, was it not?" "Yup," said Hagrid brightly, his hands clutching a bright pink umbrella. "Good wand that was. I suppose they snapped it in half when you were expelled?" the man persisted. "Yeah, I've still got the pieces though," Hagrid said brightly. 

"But you don't _use them?"_

Hagrid's fist tightened around his floral umbrella.

Mr Ollivander took out a measuring tape. "Which is your wand arm, boy?" he asked Harry. "Er…I'm right-handed, if that's what you mean," Harry replied as Mr Ollivander started measuring him. "Hmm…" Mr Ollivander stopped measuring Harry. Malik told Harry quietly that the measuring tape, which was now measuring between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Harry started and the measuring tape crumpled to the floor.

"Here, try this," Mr Ollivander said, handing Harry a musty box, within, a wand. "Go on – just wave it." Harry, feeling extremely stupid, gave it a casual wave but before he could even complete the wave Mr Ollivander snatched it out of his hand. "No, no…try this one, maple and phoenix feather, seven inches. Quite whippy." However, as soon as the wand touched Harry's fingers, Mr Ollivander whipped it out of his hand. The rest watched this, confused. "No, no – here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy." But it was rejected as well.

The pile of wands on the floor grew and grew. However, the bigger the pile got, the more happy Mr Ollivander seemed to become. "Tricky costumer, eh?" he chuckled. "I wonder now…here, phoenix feather and holly, eleven inches, nice and supple." Harry took the wand in his hand. Immediately he felt a sudden warmth. He brought the wand down with a _swish, and yellow and red sparks shot out. "Oh bravo!" said Mr Ollivander, as the other four cheered. Hagrid clapped, his hands like gunshots. "Curious…very curious…" Mr Ollivander continued. The cheering immediately hushed. "What's curious?" asked Harry as Mr Ollivander fixed him with a glowing stare. "I remember every wand I've sold, Mr Potter – each and every one. It just so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand gave another feather – just _one_ other. It is very curious you should be destined for this wand when it's brother gave you that scar."_

**_Author's Ending Notes: HAR! A _****cliffhanger****_! For those of you with the first Harry Potter book – no cheating! =)_**


	3. 3: That's All for Shopping

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh isn't mine, and probably never will be, so sue me and I'll fry your bloody arse off. Capische?**

**_~Chapter 3: That's All for Shopping~_**

Everyone was stunned into an appalled silence. Harry swallowed, and paid Mr Ollivander seven gold Galleons for his wand, standing back to watch. "Now," the old man said, turning his headful of frizzled white hair towards Seto, Kaiba, Yugi and Malik, all of whom jumped, "now, which one of you has _never_, not at all, had your body inhabited by another?" Malik gulped hard, and poked Seto, causing him to step forward. "Fine," Mr Ollivander said. "Wand arm?" Seto rolled his eyes and held out his right arm. The measuring tape leapt off the floor and began measuring Seto of it's own accord. Mr Ollivander flitted among the shelves. "Here," he said finally, and the tape crumpled, "teak, unicorn hair, ten inches, hard. Give it a wave." Seto, feeling stupid like Harry before him, gave the wand a feeble whirl, and had it snatched out of his hands by Mr Ollivander.

After fifteen minutes, Seto acquired a wand – unicorn hair, eleven inches, maple, springy. "Who _doesn't currently have another soul?" Mr Ollivander asked this round. Malik, looking slightly nervous, stepped out. The whole procedure was repeated, till, after about five or so wands, he received a dragon heartstring, thirteen inch, flexible._

Ryou and his yami were next. His was the quickest; on his second try he settled for a phoenix feather, oak, fifteen inch (long!), pliable. 

Yugi, to everyone's utmost despair, took the longest. _One wonders if it's the Pharaoh in Yugi who's taking so damn long,_ thought Malik. "Pharaoh, stop being so goddamn choosy!" Bakura exploded, having taken over Ryou for a moment. Yugi flushed as red as the raspberry tips of his hair. [What did that tomb robber just say?!] {Yami, please – I agree with Bakura just this once – can we _hurry_?}

Finally, to everyone's relief, Yugi acquired a dragon heartstring, nine inches, firm, mahogany. 

Once out of the wand shop, Hagrid and Harry departed, saying their goodbyes. "Now what do we do?" asked Malik, trying to avoid getting his eyes poked out by Bakura, now in control of Ryou's body and swishing his newfound wand about in a most alarming manner. "Well," Yugi scrutinized the list again, "how about we go buy an animal? They said we could take an owl, a cat, or a toad." "I want an owl," Seto said flatly. "I'll go for a cat." Malik said, kicking Bakura in the shins. "A _cat?" Everyone gave the Egyptian incredulous looks. "It's an Egyptian thing!" the blonde stated simply. Everyone else opted for owls, so they agreed to go with Malik to get his cat first._

Malik had chosen a beautiful, sleek tabby. "What are you going to name it?" asked Ryou. They were going to Eeylops' Owl Emporium to purchase their owls. "Isis," the platinum blonde said quietly. Ryou nodded understandingly and didn't pursue the subject any further. The Emporium was pitch black. "Urk!" squeaked Malik, clutching to Isis. Isis purred comfortingly. There were flickers of yellow lights, and a loud noise. 

Upon leaving the Emporium, Malik inspected his friends' purchases. Seto had purchased a large eagle owl. He'd called it Flash. Yugi had a small, whitish one, called Snow. Ryou's was almost black with white freckles. To everyone's amusement, it was simply named Freckles.

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

"Yugi! Could you please get Snow to _shut up_? She's driving Isis bonkers!" Malik's angry, yet amused voice drifted into Yugi's room. Yugi turned around, and saw Isis, Malik's cat, clinging to him fiercely, meowing pitifully at the racket Snow was causing. "I, for once, agree," came another voice. Seto. Ryou rubbed his eyes and poked his snow-white head in. "Please – Yugi?" "Oh, alright." Yugi sighed defeated, and rudely shoved an Owl Treat into Snow's beak.

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

[Aibou?]

{Yami? What're you doing?}

[I should be asking _you that, Yugi. It's midnight. Why aren't you sleeping?]_

{I can't. Plain and simple.}

[Does it have anything to do with the fact that this Dumbledore geezer knows about me? And the Sennen items?]

{…I hate it when you're right.}

Yami materialized beside his aibou's diminutive frame. "How'd you think the old geezer knew?" Yugi asked. Yami began pacing. "I'm not entirely sure," he concluded. "However you should still watch your ste-" Yami was cut off by a pained shout. "Oh, my God," Yugi leapt off the bed, "that's Malik!"

Yugi and Yami were joined by a sleepy Ryou, an irritated Bakura and an alarmed Seto. Gingerly opening the door, they found a horrifying sight. Malik was being held up in the air, struggling, whilst Isis was hissing horribly. He was bleeding from his wand arm, namely his left. He was being strangled by…Marik, his yami.

**_Author's Ending Notes: Ha! How's _**that_ for a cliffhanger, huh, huh, huh?! -realizes how demented she sounded- o.O; Anyway, -dodges getting smacked by flying chairs and the like- Constructive__ flames are welcome.    _**  **


	4. 4: Platform Nine and Three Quarters

**Disclaimer: Don't bother dragging out them stupid lawyers, because I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. (If I did I'd be filthy rich now.)**

**_~Chapter 4: Night Attack and Platform Nine and Three Quarters~_**

****

"Help!"

The strangled, choked cry escaped Malik's throat as the fingers around his throat tightened. "MARIK!" bellowed Yami. Seto and Ryou were appalled. Didn't Yami banish Marik to the Shadow Realm?

"Let him go!" Yami thundered, as Bakura appeared. Malik's lavender eyes were wide with fright, and Seto could see them glazing over. "He'll suffocate if you don't get that insane yami off him!" Seto yelled. _"Yami, do **something**!" Yugi squealed, just as Malik's body went limp. "Mind Crush!" Yami yelled, unable to think of anything better. Marik dropped his hikari to the floor and vanished. _

"Malik!" Yugi yelped, rushing over to the Egyptian, who was lying on the floor, back to the wall, taking welcome breaths of air. "What happened?" Malik panted for a second, and shook his head, dazed. "Give him a while to recover, Yugi, you twat," scolded Seto. "Somebody should take care of that bleeding arm first."

After his arm was bandaged and he calmed down enough to talk, Malik told them that, while he was stargazing out the window, he saw a glowing yellow light emanating from the Sennen Rod, and next thing he knew he was being suspended in the air by his yami. "Could he have someone managed to escape?" Ryou asked. "That's almost impossible," muttered Malik. "Unless he had outside help…"

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

"Platform Nine and Three Quarters?!" Seto almost yelled into Yugi's ears. _"There is no such thing as a train platform with a fraction over it!" "Seto, calm down!" said Malik, resisting the urge to conk him square in the noggin with his Rod. "This is the __wizarding world, remember that!" Seto grumbled like a beaten dog. Just then, Ryou overheard somebody conversing. "Mom, how long more before the Hogwarts Express leaves?" Nudging his friends, he pointed to a group of people, all with flaming red hair, and among them…Harry!_

"Hey, Harry!" Yugi called. Harry whipped around. "Oh, hi, Yugi!" he answered. "D'you know them?" the flaming haired lady asked. "Yeah, sorta," said Harry. "How're we going to get to Platform Nine and Three Quarters?" Malik asked. The woman smiled fondly. "First-years? Ron's starting his first year as well!" she said. "To get to that platform, you walk straight  into that wall there between platforms nine and ten, and don't worry you'll crash – that's very important. Best to do a bit of a run if you're scared." "I'll go first," Malik volunteered. Everyone else gave him the "Go for it." Focusing on the seemingly solid wall ahead, he walked towards it, broke into a slight run, and didn't crash. When he opened his eyes, he was looking right up at a sign. _Platform nine and three quarters,_ it said. Behind him, Yugi, Seto, Ryou, Harry and Ron emerged.

"Malik? Seto?" squeaked Yugi. "Some help?" "Coming Yugi! Just as soon as I get mine up the train." Malik replied, struggling with his own luggage. "Need help?" Yugi was approached by the flaming haired twins he'd seen earlier. "I'm Fred, that's George," one said, easily hauling Yugi's suitcase up the train. "I'm Yugi," the small boy answered. George goggled at his hair. "Natural," Yugi replied, as Malik and Seto came over to help hoist the rest of the luggage up. 

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

"Dang, every compartment seems to be full," Malik commented. "Here's an empty one!" Ryou squeaked from the end of the carriage. Seto, Malik and Yugi hurriedly made their way towards the empty cabin.

Seto looked up from his book as he heard the compartment door slide open. Malik was resting his head against the side of the compartment, his eyes mirroring fear and worry. The bandage was still on his arm. Yugi and Ryou were duelling noisily, because Yugi had made a foolish move and almost lost to Ryou. Harry and Ron poked their heads in. "Can we…?" Harry began. Seto nodded, and poked Ryou and Yugi to budge up a bit so that Harry and Ron had room to sit.

Malik stared out of the window at the hazy blue sky. How did his yami come back? His thoughts were interrupted when a plump, smiling witch said, "Anything off the cart, dears?" Harry and Seto offered to get something for everyone. They returned with Cauldron Cakes, Droobles' Best Blowing Gum, Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties…

Malik was roused from his reverie by the avalanche of sweets Harry dumped on the chair. Eyeing the chocolate wearily, he picked up a packet of Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans. "Careful," Ron warned. "When they say every flavour, they mean _every_ flavour." Yugi cringed. "Yeech! I got _shoe polish!" Malik chuckled, and gingerly took out a greyish-bean and bit into it, only to choke and mutter, "Yuck! Liverwurst!" Yami and Bakura had also appeared, startling Harry and Ron at first. Seto and Ryou too, took a gamble. Seto made a face. "Eurgh…spinach." Ryou grinned. "I got toffee!" Malik made a face. "Lucky you." _

Suddenly the compartment door slid open, revealing a pale-skinned boy with white blonde hair, flanked by two boys who resembled gorillas. _Beauty and the Beast indeed,_ thought Yami, chuckling as he vanished inside the Puzzle. Bakura took the cue and popped back inside the Ring. "I heard we were expecting some _foreign_ students," the boy said, a in drawling voice. Malik already hated this kid. Seto frowned. "Aren't you Seto Kaiba, owner of KaibaCorp?" the boy asked. "Draco Malfoy." Malik closed his eyes and leaned against the wall again. Draco's eyes shot towards the candy. "Don't mind if we help ourselves." He reached for the candy but was smacked away by Malik and Yugi. "Goyle, Crabbe!" he called. Goyle lunged for Malik, who ducked and shoved him clean out of the doorway; Yugi ducked under Crabbe and Yami quickly took over, tripping Crabbe out of the doorway into Malfoy. A united "Oof!" and Malik slammed the door shut. "He's lucky Malik threw him out the door," Seto growled. "I would've re-arranged his lousy face, that twerp." Just then the door slid open again, and a girl with long bushy hair stuck her head in.

"Have any of you been fighting?"

****

**_Author's Ending Notes: I'm sure all those who have read the Harry Potter series know who this bushy haired girl is. But no giving things away…_****and, I've stuck another cliffhanger _here for you to enjoy! -runs from flaming Christmas baubles, flying chairs and angry fans- _**

  


	5. 5: The Sorting

**Disclaimer: Nope. Own nothing. Zilch. Now get these filthy lawyers off my arse. Arigatou. -.-**

**_~Chapter 5: The Sorting~_**

"Have any of you been fighting?" The bushy haired girl asked, her eyes roving to everyone. They paused a bit on Malik and Seto, both of whom gave her a deadpan look. "Malfoy's goons _provoked _us!" Ron snapped. "Hmph," said the girl, snootily. "Well, mind you don't get into trouble…oh, and better put your robes on – the conductor says we're approaching the school." She slammed the door shut. " 'The conductor says we're approaching the school'," Ron mimicked the girl's high-and-mighty voice. Everyone started giggling.

~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

"Ryou, some help?" 

"Hang on Yugi."

Ryou hurried over to help Yugi get down from the train, since he was so short. "What about our luggage?" Seto asked. "I heard someone say it would be taken to the school separately," Malik answered, almost tripping over Yugi, who himself had tripped over his overly long robes. The extra length was for Yami.

"Firs' years over here!"

The four boys turned to see Hagrid, a lantern dangling from one hand. "C'mon, firs' years follow me!" Malik was shivering in the cold night air, not used to the freezing weather. Slipping and stumbling, the first years followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a dark narrow platform. "Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," called Hagrid. "Jus' round this bend here." A chorus of "oooohs" escaped the first years. "Wow...Seto, it's bigger than your mansion!" Ryou remarked. "No offence, of course." The path had opened up suddenly to a great lake, it's surface glittering like black glass. Perched atop a mountain was a huge castle, the stars adorning it like confetti.

"No more'n four to a boat!" yelled Hagrid.

Malik looked around, and tugged Yugi's collar, pointing to a tiny fleet of boats. All four scrambled for the same boat, as Harry and Ron shared their boat with the bushy haired girl, whom they found out was Hermione Granger. Hagrid had a boat to himself. "Everyone in? Right then – FORWARD!"

The fleet of boats suddenly started gliding across the glass-smooth water by themselves. The great castle of Hogwarts loomed closer, and closer. "Heads down!" bellowed Hagrid as they neared the cliff. Seto didn't duck down enough, as he was so tall, and got thwacked on the head by something hard. The little boats carried them through a wide opening in the face of the cliff which was protected by an overhang of ivy. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to lead underneath the castle itself, until they reached a sort of harbour, and everyone scuttled onto the rocks and pebbles. Hagrid was checking all the boats. "Oy, you there! Is this yer toad?" Hagrid was addressing a plump boy. "Trevor!" the boy, Neville cried blissfully. Seto, Yugi, Malik and Ryou scurried after Hagrid through a passageway in the light of the giant's lamp, coming out at last on some smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. (Seto hit his head again on the roof of the opening. Poor guy.)

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around a large oaken door, and Hagrid raised a fist and knocked three times.

The door swung open at once, revealing a witch clad in emerald green, with sharp, stern eyes and black hair pulled back into a tight bun. The first thought to cross the minds of the four foreign boys was that this was someone they should respect. "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall."

"Thank you Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide open, letting everyone in. The entrance hall was _enormous. _You could fit Seto's mansion in here and still have room leftover for half of KaibaCorp,_ thought Yugi. Malik and Ryou were gazing in wonderment at the blazing torches that were reminiscent of Gringotts. The ceiling was too high to make out, and at the end of the hall a beautiful marble staircase slithered upwards like a big wide snake._

The first years followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Voices were coming from a door to the right – but McGonagall showed the first years a quiet, empty chamber. "Welcome to Hogwarts," she said. "The start of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is very important, because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with your house, sleep in your house dormitory and spend free time in the house common room." "Anything but Slytherin," Ryou muttered in Japanese. "Pardon?" Malik returned, also in Japanese. "It's one of the houses. There's Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw," Ryou began explaining. "They say Slytherin's the house that turns out majority of the evil witches and wizards." "_Anything_ but that," Malik said. "Seto will probably end up in Ravenclaw," Yugi said. "That's the house where all the smart people go." "…While you are here, your house will be like your family. Points will be awarded for academic achievement and other triumphs. However, any rule breaking, and you will loose points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points will be awarded the house cup, a great honor here at this school. The Sorting Ceremony will begin shortly. Do try to smarten yourselves up before then." Professor McGonagall was saying.

"A _ceremony?" said Seto. "What in the world are we supposed to __do?" "My brothers said you'd have to wrestle a troll," Ron chimed in. "Wrestle a ­__what?" Ryou's jaw plummeted. Before Ron could answer, Professor McGonagall brought the first years to the Great Hall. "Ok, if the main foyer could fit Seto's mansion, then this place can fit two KaibaCorp buildings," said Malik. The professor led the students up to the front of the hall, where they stood with their backs to the four long wooden tables, which were already filled with students. Seto nudged his friends and they looked up at the ceiling, which was an exact mirror of the sky outside. Candles floated around lazily. Yugi saw the professor place a four-legged stool, and upon it sat a frayed and patched wizard's hat. There was a rip near the brim of the hat, and it opened, and to everyone's surprise, the hat sang._

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,

I'll eat myself if you can find

A smarter hat than me.

You can keep you bowlers black,

Your top hats sleek and tall,

For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat

And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head

The Sorting Hat can't see,

So try me on and I will tell you

Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,

Where dwell the brave at heart,

Their daring, nerve, and chivalry

Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,

Where they are just and loyal,

Those patient Hufflepuffs are true

And unafraid of toil;

Or yet wise old Ravenclaw,

If you've a ready mind,

Where those of wit and learning,

Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin

You'll make your real friends,

Those cunning folk use any means

To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!

And don't get in a flap!

You're in safe hands (though I have none)

For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

There was loud applause as the hat finished its song. Yugi almost melted into a puddle in relief. "We don't have to wrestle a stinkin' troll after all!" Ron was muttering to Harry. "I'm going to _kill_ Fred and George…" Professor McGonagall unrolled a long sheaf of parchment. "When I call your name, you will come forward and wear the hat, then sit on the stool to be sorted. Abott, Hannah!" A pink-faced girl with pigtails stumbled out of line and put on the hat, which fell right over her eyes. A few seconds later, the hat yelled, "HUFFLEPUFF!" Removing her hat, the girl wandered over to a table, where there were cheers. "Alphabetical order," muttered Seto. "That means…" "Bakura, Ryou!" "Oh no," the white haired boy, shaking all over, went forward and put on the hat. The Hat covered his eyes. He jumped when he heard a tiny voice in his head. 

_Interesting.__ We have two__ minds here. One is a follower, the other is a leader. _

[Gonna make something out of it, you filthy rag?] Bakura yelled.

{Yami…}

_Normally I'd place people like you in Hufflepuff, but the other you is clearly objecting. So I shall put you in…GRYFFINDOR!_

The last word was shouted to the Hall. Ryou, heaving a sigh of relief, removed the Hat and put it back on the stool, and made his way to the table with the red-haired twins. A few more people later, Seto heard his name being called. "Kaiba, Seto!" Immediately whispers filled the hall. 

"Isn't he the owner of KaibaCorp?"

"Fancy him here…"

Seto stalked over to the Hat, and popped it on. 

_Very good mind we have here. You belong in Ravenclaw. However, there's something else in here…a overwhelming urge to protect those you love…for people like you, you belong in GRYFFINDOR!_

Seto took off the Hat and joined a smiling Ryou. "Ishtar, Malik!" The Egyptian walked forward with a feeling of dread. The Hat would surely put him in Slytherin because of his Yami. 

_Oh, you're an interesting specimen. Let's see…a pure heart…you've been tainted by an evil you did not want and struggled to fight. Contrary to most, you'd go to Slytherin, but since you did not embrace this evil, I shall put you in…GRYFFINDOR!_

Malik felt his heart soar. Lifting off the Hat, he happily joined Seto and Ryou. That left Yugi. "Mutou, Yugi!" Yugi went forward, and somehow, managed to squash his odd hair inside the Hat. Yugi took the shortest of the four. Quickly, the Hat yelled "GRYFFINDOR!" and Yugi yanked it off and joyfully ran towards his friends. 

**_Author's Ending Notes: Sorry for rushing this chapter, but I don't want it to soar up to like, five thousand words and they haven't even gotten sorted yet. Agh…I'm only into the Sorting and this is already the _****fifth_ chapter!...Kuso. anyway…read and REVIEW!!_**

  


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